Metodichka_po_angliyskomu
.pdfofArt,theCollege ofArt,theAcademyofSciencesandtheAcademyof Fine Arts there. There are many hotels, theatres, shops and museums in the city. There is Pennsylvania University, which has an interesting and big library.
Questions
1. What is the capital of the USA? 2. Where is Washington situated? 3. Who chose the place for the city? 4. When was Washington founded?
5. When did the city become the capital of the United States? 6. Is Washington the largest city in the USA?
7. What is the population of Washington? Is it the most important city in political sense?
8. There are two main centres in Washington, aren’t there? What are they?
9. Where is the President’s residence? 10. What can you say about the Capitol?
11. Why don’t they build skyscrapers in Washington? 12. What are the leading universities in the capital? 13. What famous monuments are there in Washington? 14. What is Washington today?
15. What was the first capital of the USA?
16. Where and when was the first USAconstitution adopted? 17. What is the symbol of freedom in Philadelphia? 18. What else do you know about Philadelphia?
10. NEWYORK
NewYork is the largest city and a major economic, financial, scientific, political and cultural centre of the country. It is situated in the north-east of the USAin the state of New York in the mouth of the Hudson River.
New York was founded by Dutch settlers at the beginning of the 17th century (1613). It is known that the land was bought from the local Indians by the Dutch for 24 dollars.TheAmerican say that this was the best business deal ever made in New York.
In the 18th century New York grew into the largest city of the United States ofAmerica. Now it is a great seaport, the leading textile and financial centre of the country.
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At the turn of the 20th century, a lot of people came to the USA from different countries of the world. Now it is a multinational city, the people that live in it speak seventy-five different languages.
The city of New York is divided into five districts: Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Richmond. The heart of the city is Manhattan. The island of Manhattan occupies an area of 58 square kilometers. It lies 21 km from north to south between the Hudson River and the East River but it is less than 4 km in breadth. Manhattan Island with the Wall Street district is the centre of business and commercial life of the country.
The New York Stock Exchange and the biggest banks of the USA are situated in Wall Street. On the embankment of the East River the buildings of the United Nations Organization are situated. The longest and widest street in New York is Broadway which meanders through the whole of Manhattan. New York is the city of skyscrapers.
New York is one of the leading manufacturing cities in the world. It’s chief industries are clothing, printing and publishing.
Research institutes and societies, theatres, museums and publishing houses make NewYork one of the main centres of scientific and cultural life in the country.The University of Columbia, NewYork University are well known.
There are many places of interest in New York: Central Park, Times Square, and Rockefeller Centre among them.
Central Park is a pleasant park and besides there are a number of museums there. The famous Frick Museum and the Metropolitan Art Museum are situated here. Times Square is famous for its theatres and cinemas. Rockefeller Centre is a group of fifteen skyscrapers, including the 70-storey Radio Corporation ofAmerica (RCA).
Dialogue
—What was the first name of the city?
—NewAmsterdam was the first name of the city. In 1664 the territory was taken by the English, and they changed the name of New Amsterdam into New York.
—What is the symbol of New York?
—The Statue of Liberty is. It is the figure of Liberty Enlightening the World, which stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbour. New York City received this Statue as a present from France in 1886. Those tourists who come to the city by sea pass the Statue of Liberty as they enter New
York Bay.
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—What can you say about the famous museums of the USA?
—The world-wide known is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is one of the leading art museums. Its collection spans the history of world art from the ancient civilizations to the present day. The Frick Museum of Art contains many of the finest works of European masters from the 14th to the 19th centuries.
—What is the second largest city after New York?
—Chicago is. It is one of the biggest industrial cities in the USA and the second largest after New York. It was built on the shore of Lake Michigan and is a busy inland port.
—And what about Boston?
—Boston is one of the first cities which were built on theAtlantic coast of America. It is an important port and financial and cultural centre. It has three universities.
—What other cities of the USAdo you know?
—San Francisco, which is situated on the Pacific Coast in California. It is considered by many the most beautiful citiys in the USA. It has a fine natural harbour, and the trade, that it carries on with other countries, has given the city a cosmopolitan air. Los Angeles, in California, is a centre of modern industries. Not far from Los Angeles is Hollywood, the centre of the US film business.
Questions
1. What kind of city is New York? 2. When was it founded?
3. What was the first name of the city? 4. Where is New York situated?
5. What statue greets everyone who comes to New York by sea? 6. Is New York a multinational city?
7. What districts is the city New York divided into? 8. What is the heart of the city?
9. What is Manhattan today?
10. New York is a city of sky scrapers, isn’t it?
11. What are the most important branches of industry in New York? 12. Is New York a great cultural and educational centre?
13. What places of interest are there in New York?
14. What can you say about the famous museums of the USA?
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15. What universities are well-known? Would you like to study ay one of them?
16. What other cities of the USAdo you know? 17. WhatAmerican city would you like to visit?
11. HOLIDAYS in the usa
The main holidays of the USA are: New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans’Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas. Some of them are religious, some are connected with American history. There are also some holidays that have come to modern times from the old colonial days. The early colonists brought with them from England, Holland, France, Germany and many other countries the holiday customs of their homeland. These, old-world traditions, transplanted to new-world soil, gradually assumed a character more or less unique to the various regions of the USA.
Independence Day
The fourth of July is the biggest national holiday of the USA. It is celebrated as the birthday of the country. It honours the day in 1776 when the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which cut the tie with England and established the United States ofAmerica.
On that memorable day the Liberty Bell called the people of Philadelphia (the then capital) to the State House to hear the Declaration of Independence read out.
Americans still ring bells to celebrate Independence Day. Each city and town now sponsors its own ceremony — a parade, speeches by public officials, guided tours through historic monuments, outdoor stage shows, boatraces, and evening fire-works displays. Families, organizations, all hold daylong picnics.There are baseball games, three-lagged races, water-melon eating contests, folk dancing, and lots of lively music.Americans march in parades, decorate the graves of their dead soldiers. During the evening of the fourth they shoot off fire-works in parks and fields.
Veterans’Day
Veteran’s Day comes on November 11. The fighting in World War I ended on November 11, 1918. Though it is a legal holiday, the banks and stores usually stay open. Public offices and many schools close for the day. During the day there are usually parades in which bands and organizations
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such as the Boy Scouts and the American Legion march. There are also ceremonies in which the people pay tribute to those who gave their lives their country.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day or Decoration Day, comes on May 30. It is a national holiday. Schools, offices, and banks close for the day. On May 30, Americans honour the servicemen who gave their lives in past wars. Schools, clubs and churches decorate the cemeteries on that day. They put flags on the graves of army, navy, and airmen. They hold memorial services in churches, halls, parks, and cemeteries. They hang upAmerican flags in the main streets of the towns.
Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621 by English settlers of the Plymouth colony. They wanted to celebrate the end of their first year in their new home with a real holiday and to give thanks to God.The colonists fired a cannon as a salute at dawn on the first Thanksgiving Day.
In the following decadesThanksgiving Day comes on the fourthThursday in November. Every year, the President writes a kind of letter to the people. He writes that the forth Thursday in November will be a national holiday. Presidents proclaim such days for various reasons. All the stores, banks, schools, and offices close. The people can spend Thanksgiving Day with their families.
New Year
New Year’s Eve is a time for merriment.At midnight bells rings, horns blow, and friends exchange kisses. Everyone stays up late to celebrate the arrival of another year.At home or in restaurants mostAmericans spend the final hours of the old year and the first hours of the new year with friends.
One of the noisiest and most crowded of New Year’s Eve celebrations takes place in New York City in Times Square. Thousands of New Yorkers gather there, and millions ofAmericans across the country join them via TV.
Following a long, hectic New Year’s Eve, Americans spend a quite, leisurely New Year’s Day. In most households, everyone sleeps late, often enjoys brunch andTVwith the family and friends.Two famous NewYear’s Day festivals are televised for national viewing: the Tournament of Roses and the Mummer’s Parade. Both of these events have beenAmerican traditions for more than half a century.
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The Mummer’s Parade, which takes place in Philadelphia, is a ten-hour spectacle. It is colourful and high-spirited. The men dress in lavish costumes, some impersonate women since no women are allowed to participate. There are clowns, musicians, dancers, and floats — all led by King Momus dressed in gleaming satin.
The Tournament of Roses takes place in California. Elaborate floats displayingroses and thousands of other Californiaflowers depict a different theme each year. Prizes are awarded to the cities with the most unusual and attractive floral displays.
New Year’s Day has traditionally been the occasion for starting new programs and giving up bad habits, many Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Typical New Year’s resolutions are to spend less money, give up smoking, begin a diet, or control one’s temper.
Christmas
Christmas is a religious holiday. It is celebrated on December 25 as the birthday of Christ. Most churches have Christmas Eve services, which usually begin just before midnight on Christmas Eve and end early Christmas morning.
Christmas is a family holiday, stores, post offices, banks and business houses close for the day. Schools and colleges close between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Every house tries to have a Christmas — tree, which is decorated with tinsel, coloured bulbs and lights.The use of mistletoe as a part of Christmas decoration in private houses is common in the United States. Since it is customary for relatives and close friends to give presents at Christmas time, the presents are placed under the tree. Little children hang up their stockings on Christmas Eve.They believe that when they are asleep, Santa Claus comes to visit them. In the morning, the children look into their stockings and examine their gifts.
Easter
Easter is a religious holiday. It comes on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. Easter marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. At Easter it is customary for people to buy new clothes to wear on Easter Sunday. After church services, many people take walks down the streets and avenues wearing their new Easter hats and suits. This colourful procession of people dressed in bright new spring clothes is called the «Easter parade».
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Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day comes on February 14. It is sweethearts’ day when people in love express their affection for each other in gay and merry ways. But in whatever form, the message is the same — «Will you be my valentine?» The holiday is widely celebrated among persons of all ages by the exchange of «valentines».A«valentine» may mean a special greeting-card or a little present. It may also be the person who receives the gift.Valentines (greeting-cards) are often coloured red and have pictures of hearts. They have verses of love poetry printed on them. It is a favorite day for parties, especially by young people.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day comes on the second Sunday in May. It is a day when Americans honour their mothers. Most mothers like to celebrate the day with family reunions. Many people send their mothers a card or a gift. Some people take their mothers to a restaurant for dinner.
Father’s Day
Father’s Day comes on the third Sunday in June. On that day, Americans honour their fathers. Many people send their fathers a card or a gift.
Questions
1. What are the main holidays of the USA? 2. What is a biggest national holiday of the USA? 3. When is Memorial Day celebrated?
4. What do you know about Thanksgiving Day? 5. How is New Year’s Day celebrated inAmerica? 6. What resolutions doAmericans make on this day? 7. What religious holidays are there in the USA? 8. What otherAmerican holidays do you know? 9. What public holidays are celebrated in Russia? 10. What is your favorite holiday?
11. Do you see New Year in at home?
12. Do the youth prefer to have New Year parties of their own? 13. What New Year traditions do you know?
14. Do you like to decorate a New Year tree? 15. When is Christmas celebrated?
16. What holiday do we celebrate on the 9th of May? 17. Are there any other holidays in Russia?
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GettingAbout Town
Dialogues
1
A:Excuse me, madam!
B:Yes?
A:Can you tell me the way to the railway station?
B:Certainly. Take a № 2 trolley-bus and it will take you right there.
A:And where is the nearest trolley-bus stop?
B:It’s just round the corner.
A:Thanks a lot.
B:You are welcome.
2
A:Excuse me, I am a stranger here. Does a high-speed tram stop here?
B:Yes, it does.
A:How long will it take me to get to the Red October plant?
B:It’ll take you about 15 minutes to get there.
A:Is there any other way to the plant?
B:You can get there by bus or trolley-bus.
A:By the way, how much is the fare in public transport?
B:… roubles on a bus and … roubles on a high-speed tram or trolley-bus.
A:Thank you for your information. I want to see a high-speed tram and I think it will be a pleasant trip.
B:I am sure you’ll like it.
A:I hope I shall. Thank you very much.
B:That’s all right.
3
A:Pardon me, does a № 2 trolley-bus stop here?
B:Yes it does.
A:Will it take me to the Mamayev Hill?
B:No, it won’t. You’ll have to change on to a № 8 trolley-bus in PortSaid Street.
A:Thanks.
B:That’s all right.
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4
A:Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the Tractor Plant?
B:You may get there by bus or trolley-bus. You can take a high-speed tram as well.
A:Where must I get off?
B:At Dzerzhinsky Square.
A:Thank you very much.
B:Not at all…
5
A:Excuse me, how can I get to the Central Stadium?
B:Any bus or trolley-bus that goes along Lenin prospect will take you
there.
A:Will it take me long if I walk?
B:I think, about 20 minutes.
A:Thank you.
B:You are welcome.
6
A:Excuse me, I’ve lost my way...
B:Where do you want to go?
A:I’m trying to get to the theatre.
B:Oh, that’s no distance at all. Go two blocks straight and then turn to the left, and in less than five minutes you’ll be there…
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A:Is it possible to walk there?
B:Sure it is, but it is a long distance off. You’d better take a taxi…
Questions
1.Is traffic heavy in Volgograd?
2.What kind of public transport do you like best?
3.What’s the public transport fare in Volgograd?
4.From what time in the morning till what time at night do buses run?
5.Can you tell me the way to the Central post office?
6.Is the nearest hotel far from here?
7.How can I get to the Shopping Centre?
8.Will it take me long if I walk to your house?
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9.Is there a direct bus from here to the circus?
10.Where is the nearest bus stop?
11.Where do I get off for the Pavlov House?
12.Can you tell me how to get to the Theatre ofYoung Spectators? How many stops do I have to go? Where must I get off?
13.How long does it take you to get to your University? How do you get there? Is it possible to walk there?
Учебное издание
Наша страна и страны изучаемого языка
English-speaking countries and Russia
Сборник текстов и упражнений к практическим занятиям по английскому языку
Составители
Дорогина Татьяна Александровна Радова Лидия Алексеевна Табакова Татьяна Анатольевна
Начальник РИО М. Л. Песчаная
Редактор О. А. Шипунова
Компьютерная правка и верстка А. Г. Сиволобова
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